


What Does The Fox Sing?

by ChaosWriting



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fox!Jagged, Shellydra and Vulpiper AU, Turtle!Penny, Uncle!Jagged, idk what else to call the au, maybe a pun on music ors, ml salt, oops i gave jagged adhd, please im funny
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-25 17:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20915909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaosWriting/pseuds/ChaosWriting
Summary: "Penny Rolling, Jagged Stone, these are the Miraculous of the Fox and the Turtle, you will use them for the greater good. Once the job is done you will return the Miraculous to me, do you accept?" She’s scared in a way she hasn’t been in a while, because what if they reject the miraculous, then she’ll have to find someone else and she doesn’t know who-“Rocking.” Jagged near whispers, taking the box from her.





	1. The One With The Newbies

“Hello there!” She is kind as always, but so, so tired, but, if the reporter notices, they don’t mention it. “Can I answer some of your questions?”

The reporter eagerly nods. “I think we are all wondering-” The phone in their hands trembles a little, out of nervousness, probably. “-what happened to Rena Rouge and Carapace? They haven’t been around, and I suppose even you will have to admit either of them would have been perfect for this akuma.” 

And Ladybug freezes in place. She is so tense, but she knew this was coming, so she takes a deep breath. “They have been retired for reasons that are not mine to explain.” Her earrings beep their three minute warning.

The reporters eyes light up, rightfully so, since they’re the first to hear this. “So, does this mean there will be new miraculous holders? Since it has been confirmed miraculous are not tied to their holders, with your adventure as Lady Noir.”

Ladybugs smile is forced, but she tries not to let it bother her. “It is possible, but unlikely.” Her earrings beep their two minute warning. “Hope I helped you with your scoop, bug out!” And she swings away.

The next day is, understandably so, a disaster. 

The video was released yesterday evening, and Alya looks like she hasn’t slept since its release. The edges of her eyes are still a little red, but it’s barely noticeable, anyone other than Marinette and Nino could easily attribute the stress to Ladybug not seeking her out for this scoop.

“Alya.” Marinette asks, walking up to her not-quite-friend-anymore. “Are you alright?”

It’s guilt, she realizes. She asks Alya if she’s ok out of guilt, because it’s her fault.

Alya doesn’t respond, and looks away from her. She’s still mad at Marinette for something Lila said she did. Marinette doesn’t really care.

“Alya?” She carefully asks, because she is still worried.

Alya scowls and Marinette gives up, going to the back of the class, where she now sits willingly, alone.

It does give her ample opportunity to text, so she doesn’t really mind, and it allows Tikki to help her with her work sometimes, so it’s actually perfect. Well, not perfect, but it’s ok, better than being next to anyone who hates her now would be.

She has another meeting with Fu after school, and after that she will go to the park, to sketch some, while her former friends go to the movies. 

Uncle J: [Image file]

Class hasn’t started yet, so she shamelessly looks at her phone, showing an image of Fang, wearing Jagged’s eiffel tower glasses. She giggles at it.

You: Something looks weird about that image, Jagged, did you get a new haircut?

Uncle J: :sunglasses_emoji:

Uncle J: did u hear abt the nomination??? 

You: Yes! Congratulations!

Uncle J: i was wondering if youd make my outfit? and a matching one for penny. we’ll be announcing our relationship thingy

You: Of course! I’m so proud of you two! I have something to do after school, but I’ll be over after that?

Uncle J: dont rush urself girl, we’re in no rush

Uncle J: also i got u tickets to my show this weekend. i knew ud say no bc ur polite so ive already cleared it w ur parents  
Uncle J: just lemme know how many friends u wanna bring with

She doesn’t even know who to bring, as most of the class doesn’t even talk to her. Chloé and her have been closer, but not close enough that Marinette is comfortable using her connections on her former enemy. Kagami is away for the weekend, and Marinette remembers her saying she wasn’t interested in music. Luka seems like the best option, if she doesn’t want to go alone. 

Marinette glances over at Juleka, who avoids eye contact with her. Who knows what Luka thinks of her now. Still, she types a reply to Jagged, saying that she will bring one person at most.

Penny’s message is more formal than Jagged’s, but it boils down to the same thing. She replies she’ll be over later in the day, and then she gets out her stuff for school.

Lila is bragging about being the new fox, getting out her necklace, the same one she used to try and trick Adrien, as proof. Marinette doesn’t really care about it, she finds. She doubts she’ll ever get the help from a fox again, or anyone, as she has very big concerns about who to trust, when everyone can turn against her in an instant.

Tikki’s paw encouragingly rubs her own hand and Marinette smiles.

Everyone is amazed by Lila, but Marinette can see Alya looking betrayed, and trying to seem happy for Lila, and Nino seems skeptical, the wheels in his head visibly turning. She doesn’t pay anyone else any mind.  
No one approaches her during the day, and she spends her lunch break doodling designs for Jagged and Penny. She keeps opening and closing Luka’s contact. She ignores the fear that he might hate her now.

After school, halfway during her training with Master Fu, an Akuma alert rings, and a quick glance at the alert -Show Star, anyone who looks into her eyes has to keep paying attention to her, possibly hypnotism related powers- lets her know she will need both the fox and the turtle, and dread settles in her stomach. It’s near the movie theater. The dread gets worse. She keeps her hands at her side and she feels like crying as she avoids looking at anything but the floor.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, an ally is not set in stone, choose people who will have your back, I trust you will make the right decision.”

Her phone pings.

Aunt Penny: Are you alright? 

Aunt Penny: Are you near the akuma? Most of your class was there.

Aunt Penny: Marinette?

At first she thinks it’s weird how Penny doesn’t capitalize Akuma, as she has been known to do, and Marinette realizes she must be really worried. 

Aunt Penny: I took Jagged’s phone before he calls the cops personally. Please stay safe.

You: I’m alright, I’m far away from it right now. I might be a little late.

Aunt Penny: Please stay safe, Marinette.

She looks at the turtle miraculous on Master Fu’s wrist, and then the fox. She smiles.

Ladybug swings herself into the room, through an open window. What she finds is Jagged Stone and Penny Rolling, anxiously watching the news. 

They don’t notice her until she clears her throat. They don’t have time to be amazed, because she holds out two boxes.

"Penny Rolling, Jagged Stone, these are the Miraculous of the Fox and the Turtle, you will use them for the greater good. Once the job is done you will return the Miraculous to me, do you accept?" She’s scared in a way she hasn’t been in a while, because what if they reject the miraculous, then she’ll have to find someone else and she doesn’t know who-

“Rocking.” Jagged near whispers, taking the box from her. 

Penny takes the other box in quiet amazement. “Thank you for trusting-” Her eyes shoot towards Jagged, who nearly curses in surprise as Trixx appears.

Then Trixx talks, and Jagged slowly begins repeating ‘what the fuck’ to himself. Penny slowly opens her own Miracle Box, being greeted by a similar glowing orb, which then turns into a turtle-like creature.

“It’s nice to meet you, Wayzz.” Their abilities get explained and when Jagged yells “Trixx, lets pounce!” 

It’s funny to see Penny blushing and stuttering out her own transformation words. She ends up holding the shield close to her chest, and she looks nervous. 

“Penny, I won’t force you to do this.” Ladybug places a hand on each shoulder, and Penny braces herself. “It’s Shellydra.“ And Ladybug seems surprised.

“My name, it’s Shellydra. I won’t let you down, Ladybug.” Ladybugs eyes seem a little wet, but no one mentions it. 

“Not to interrupt your girl talk.” And Jagged looks amazing, with his hair white and orange instead of purple and black, it covers one of his eyes, but the grin on his face, full of childlike joy, is what captures her attention the most and she nearly forgets he’s talking. “But there is still an Akuma.”

“Right, uh, yeah-” Had Ladybug always been this awkward? Maybe it’s easier for her to let her walls down around other superheroes. “Let’s go, and she throws out her jojo, motioning for them to use it as a zipline. Penny swallows again, and she nearly screams when Jagged throws his flute over the line and zips down. “Our weapons are unbreakable, , it’s alright.” Another supporting hand on her shoulder and Penny nods, holding onto the edges of her shield as she zips down, towards a widely grinning and bouncing and waving Jagged. 

“That-” She says once she is down and can breathe again. “Was terrifying.”

“And rocking!” Jagged spins, making his coattails flap erratically and Penny giggles, unable to stop herself. Ladybugs smiles fondly. “Do you have a name for yourself?”

Jagged grins. “Vulpiper! Get it? Like Vulpes and Piper.”

Ladybug and Penny roll their eyes in unison. “Chat will love you.” Vulpiper just grins wider.


	2. The One With The Fighting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your feedback! I'm really glad you're all enjoying this, and thanks to you I was feeling inspired enough to drop this chapter half a week earlier.

They waited too long, because the villain has already amassed a massive and unwilling audience. It’s Lila, clearly, and Ladybug audibly sighs. “Again?”

“She get akumatized more often?” Vulpiper asks.

“This is either the third or fourth time.” Ladybug rubs the bridge of her nose, she looks exhausted. 

“Don’t worry, this should be quick.” Vulpiper gets out his flute, but both Ladybug and Shellydra place their hands atop of the flute.

“Not yet.” Ladybug orders. “We have the advantage right now, she doesn’t know we’re here.” 

Chat isn’t there yet, and he doesn’t pick up when she rings him. “C’mon, you stupid cat, please pick up.”

Shellydra places a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezes. “Plan as if he isn’t coming, and if he does, take advantage of it.” She says, the perfect planner that Penny is shining through, and Ladybug feels her heart swell with pride.

Ladybug nods at her allies. “Alright. Shellydra, you will be tasked with civilians out of here, start with the ones who aren’t influenced by Show Star yet.” 

The “influence” here being the fact that everyone keeps looking at the Akuma, and is unable to look away. Several people have their eyes covered and are trying to leave, but Show Star coos at them to look at her, ‘pretty please’. There must be something missing, because this can’t be all the powers she has, and so far neither Ladybug nor her allies have been affected.

“Vulpiper, when you see fit, create an illusionary Ladybug.”

“That acts like it’s hypnotized? Got it, Bug.” Vulpiper nods, already understanding the plan without her having to give a full explanation and it’s right in a way working with Carapace and Rena Rouge wasn’t. It wasn’t that working with them was wrong, it’s just that this feels better. It makes her feel like she is betraying her friends, as if they did not betray her first.

Instead of saying any of that, she just smiles. “Exactly. Try to stay in the shadows unless otherwise needed.”

“It will be nice to be support for once.” Vulpiper says, and both Ladybug and Shellydra know what is coming. “Instead of the.. star of the show.”

The two girls simultaneously groan. 

Shellydra moves out, the moment the planning is done, not because she is confident, but because she can see the akuma begin to focus on Ladyblogger and her boyfriend -Marinette’s friends-. She jumps in the way, having her back, with the shield still on it, get hit by a force of some kind.

“Hey!” Alya yells, offended her good shot has been interrupted. “I was filming that!”

“Yes, and you were about to be captivated by her like everyone else, let’s get you two out of here.”

Alya outright refuses, citing her need for a scoop, but Nino, he just looks at her, almost ashamed, for a reason she doesn’t understand.

Shellydra, hearing the akuma shout behind her, decides to do what she does best, work with stubborn people. So, with no hesitation she throws Alya over one shoulder, and Nino over the other and says: “You can keep filming while I get you out of here.” And she runs.

Alya shouts and struggles, but Shellydra’s super strength holders her in place easily. Nino is mostly limb, and not refusing to come along at all. Deciding to be kind, despite the rude introduction, because they’re still Marinette’s friends, she drops them on a nearby roof, giving them a good angle on the fight. “This is safer and gives you a better angle. I’ll be off now.” She waves at the camera and goes to help more people, after all, there is still a fight going on.

Vulpiper is not a patient person, and his leg bounces up and down from where he sits, crouched, threatening to throw him off balance. Of course it’s exciting, but Show Star is annoying, with her constant bragging and her over the top movements. Who does she think she is?

Vulpiper supposes he can’t really blame her, Akuma’s are dramatic in general. Every time he sees Penny get hit he nearly jumps out to give the akuma a piece of his mind, but he keeps stopping himself, because Penny is fine, she is doing amazing and she is keeping everyone out of trouble, like she always does for him. She really is amazing.

It doesn’t take long for the akuma to notice Ladybug, and begin ignoring Shellydra, and they fight. Ladybug used her lucky charm at some point, and has a piece of fabric tied around her wrist.

He gets the flute ready.

Jagged looks ridiculous. He thinks he is being sneaky, but Ladybug can see him as she fights, his fox ears sticking out from where he peeking over a table that has fallen sideways. Luckily everyone is focused on the fight, the akuma or Ladybug herself. 

She can see the akuma moving out of the corner of her eye, getting increasingly more angry as Ladybug looks everywhere except her. Chat may have already been affected, there is no telling.

She ducks behind a pillar and looks at where Vulpiper is hiding. He nods at her and plays, quietly, but it doesn’t really matter as the Akuma is too focused on Ladybug.

Her illusionary self is in front of her and then walks out from behind the pillar, it’s eyes clenched shut. “Come here, little Ladybug, open your eyes.” 

The noise of her fake footsteps, moves away, so the Akuma now has her back to her. She hears her illusionary self talk and the Akuma gloat. 

She steps out from behind the pillar. Good. The Akuma can’t see her, now she just has to use her Lucky Charm to blindfold the Akuma.

Chat appears out of nowhere, diving into the illusion headfirst, trying to get it out of the way. The faux Ladybug disappears in a puff of smoke and both Chat and the Akuma lets out a noise in surprise. Chat obviously has a rougher landing than he anticipated, as this was clearly not what he expected, and Show Star turns around, looking for the real Ladybug.

Ladybug can’t respond quickly enough, she can just close her eyes and- “Shellter!”  
The Akuma stops in its tracks, and in front of Ladybug stands Shellydra, holding a shield up to block the view of the Akuma. Shellydra is breathing heavily, and she looks terrified, but she’s also smiling. “Got you back, Bug.”

The Akuma in turn seems mesmerised by its own mirror image that has appeared on the magic shield. It’s just the issue that they can’t let the shield down without having to fight the Akuma again.

Casually, Vulpiper strolls up, steps over a still lying down Chat Noir, and picks the sunglasses off of the Akuma’s face, and breaks them, leaving Lila in the place of Show Star, and all her victims back to their own wits.

The shield lowers, and Ladybug purifies the Akuma and casts her cure. She goes to help Chat Noir up, and even before he is fully standing again, Vulpiper rushes at Shellydra and picks her up and twirls around with her. “You were amazing, Shelly!”

“I was amazing? Did you see your illusion?” They’re twirling and laughing.

“Are you going to introduce us, M’Lady?”

“Maybe later, they’re having a moment.”

Her earrings beep, and so must have Shellydra’s or Vulpipers Miraculous, because still grinning and smiling they walk over to Ladybug and Chat.

“Chat Noir, meet Vulpiper and Shellydra.” 

“Purr-leasure to meet you both, I apologize for my less than graceful entrance.”

“Likewise-” Shellydra says, and Vulpipers says. “Big fan of your puns, Chat Noir.”

Shellydra’s bracelet beeps. It kind of ruins the moment.

“We should get you two back before you detransform.” 

They’re off before Chat Noir can do as much as say goodbye.

Later, in the Hotel -after travelling with two grown adult heroes, giggling like teenagers- , both Penny and Jagged detransform, they’re still happy and giggling. “Thank you so much for this chance, it was amazing.”

And Ladybug, her earrings beeping again, giving her just three minutes. The moment of truth. “Would you mind if I called upon you again sometime?”

“Well…” Jagged sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “We can’t guarantee we will be in Paris, exactly.” It looks like it pains him to say. He looks at Penny, who has had colour returned to her face.

“We’d love to.” She says. “If we are around.”

“Thank you.” Ladybug says, and watches them say goodbye to the kwami’s.

“Ladybug?” She’s already nearly out the window, but she turns to look at Penny.

“Just like you never know how wrong something can go until you try it, you will also never know how right it will go.” Mysterious, but advice nonetheless, Penny is definitely a Turtle. 

Ladybug’s earrings beep again. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Even later, she is looking at her phone and remembers Penny’s advice, even if it wasn’t for Marinette, it still applies. She takes a breath and selects Luka’s contact.

You: Do you want to see Jagged Stone with me this weekend?


End file.
